Jake Price's Betting Tips For Tote Galway Plate Handicap Chase

TIP 1: NOWWHATDOYOUTHINK – 1pt EW (6 Places)

Best odds available of 8/1 at bet365 at the time of publishing.

WILL THE WISE – 0.5pts EW (5 Places)

Best odds available of 17/2 at William Hill at the time of publishing.

Considering the prize money on offer you always expect a strong field to turn up for the Galway Plate, but I do believe there are reasons to be able to narrow down the field. The favourite Funiculi Funicula is opposable more on price than pure ability, but a huge 8lbs rise for his Punchestown Festival victory in what looks like a fairly innocuous event certainly does not give him an easy task in this stronger contest.

Henry de Bromhead sends three and the stable choice is Downmexicoway, but I would have serious stamina concerns. Since his point-to-point victory he has attempted intermediate trips on three occasions without victory, and that latest attempt was at the Cheltenham Festival 141 days ago, where he notably did not see out 2m4f up the hill. With the finish at Galway equally as stiff, I struggle to see him staying 2m6½f on this occasion, and would prefer to see him tackle a strongly-run two-miles in the future.

Ballygunner Castle and Rocky’s Diamond have plenty to prove based on their most recent efforts despite having enough ability to win a race like this, but the horse giving me the biggest headache is WILL THE WISE. Our old friend helped to finish the season in style for this column when landing the Topham Handicap Chase at the Aintree Festival, in a race where I believed all of the stars had aligned for him to gain a deserved success. The main issue about that victory in such a high-profile race is the fact he was raised 5lbs by the assessor, but following a 110-day absence, if he is ready to strike again then Galway is a track he has already twice proven to handle.

Last October he was only beaten half-a-length by Ol Man Dingle (145) on his seasonal debut where he jumped with aplomb, and next time out over the same 2m2f trip he made no mistake when recording an easy 2.75 length victory. He jumps for fun around this place, and the 2m6½f trip should be right up his street. I will have to have something on as I cannot watch him win unbacked, but I have to admit I am more interested in another runner.

Gordon Elliott has a fantastic record in the Plate having won five of the past ten renewals, and this time around NOWWHATDOYOUTHINK looks to have extremely strong claims for his new stable. Previously with Ray Hackett, this 7yo has very much been a slow improver over fences over the past 12 months, but he has clearly shown enough form to make a mark of 142 look more than workable on his career Handicap debut.

After getting off the mark at Cork in November he missed the middle part of the winter which reflects his preference for quicker conditions – so it is no surprise to see him active in July. His Spring campaign was an extremely successful one however, as on his return from a 102-day absence he ran eye-catchingly in the Grade 3 Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase. A combination of his first run back and the soft ground probably paved way to his winning chance, but he still ran a mighty race to finish second behind C’Est Ta Chance (142), whilst having Jalila Moriviere (135), and the preparing Soldier In Milan (157)/Fleur In The Park (153) behind.

Next time out when stepped up in trip to three miles he was shown to even better effect, as he contested an open company Grade 3 Chase at Cork on Easter weekend and travelled all over his rivals. After popping the last he only had to be pushed out hands and heels, and whilst it wasn’t the strongest of races, his effortless 6.5 length success earned a ticket to the Grade 1 Champion Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival in April.

Understandably with his lesser-known connections he was fairly unfancied in the market against a Willie Mullins battalion, but he came away from the contest with huge credit. Travelling up stronglyin the widest position on the track turning for home, he jumped the second last in a share of the lead, and it was only after the last where he began to lose ground. Ultimately last year’s Galway Plate winner Western Fold (156) was able to come through and win, but NOWWHATDOYOUTHINK ran huge in third place at a price of 33/1.

Having since changed hands to join Gordon Elliott it would not surprise anyone if he is able to show further improvement this season, so the Galway Plate looks a perfect place to make his handicap debut and try to exploit that attractive mark of 142. Furthermore, this 2m6½f trip might be ideal for him, as he notably faded after the last when attempting 3m1f at Punchestown. Jack Kennedy taking the ride is another clear positive.

Having crunched the numbers seven of the last ten winners had not run for 57+ days so the breaks both horses have had are not prohibitive, but in the case of either selection it would not surprise me if the Kerry National also comes up on their agenda, so if either run a big race here without getting their head in front, they would leap to the front of my shortlist for that September Listowel contest.